The Marian Plum or Map-Rang is a cousin of the mango in miniature. Marian Plums ripen in March to May. It has an oval shape, with green skin, and ripen to a bright yellow or orange skin. Mak Phang has two species: sweet and sour. Sweet Mak Phang is eaten when ripe, while sour Ma Phang is used for making chili dip or eaten with a sweet-and-salty sauce.

My traveling companions and I enjoyed the sweet variety of marian plums during our recent trip to Bangkok. We purchased half a kilogram for 60 baht, which is quite pricey by South East Asian standards. Just like its cousin the mango, the fruit contains an almond-shaped seed and is simultaneously sweet and sour. Unlike the mango, the fruit’s outer skin is edible.

My favorite characteristic of the marian plum is its incredibly taut skin. The feeling of my teeth piercing through the peel to reach the fruit’s flesh was unlike any other fruit I’ve eaten.